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HEALTH AND WELLNESS NEWS POLITICS

New York Governor Launches Secret Plan to Ban Tobacco Sales in the State: What Does This Mean for the Economy?

ByAlki David

Apr 26, 2023

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has been quietly developing a plan to put a ban on tobacco sales in the state, which could have a significant impact on the economy. Under her watch, the New York State Health Department has launched a series of surveys to gather public opinion on the potential ban.

Tobacco sales have been a major source of revenue for the state, with New York being one of the top states in the country for tobacco sales. However, the negative health effects of smoking, including cancer and heart disease, have become a growing concern for public health officials.

The idea of a tobacco ban in New York is not new, as several cities in the state have already implemented bans on tobacco sales. However, a statewide ban would be unprecedented and could set a precedent for other states to follow.

While a tobacco ban would have a significant impact on the tobacco industry in the state, it could also have some positive effects. For example, it could lead to a reduction in smoking-related illnesses and encourage smokers to quit. Additionally, it could create opportunities for new industries related to the production and sale of alternative smoking products, such as e-cigarettes.

The move to ban tobacco sales is being seen as a bold step towards improving public health in New York. However, it remains to be seen how this plan will impact the state’s economy and what measures will be put in place to support businesses affected by the ban.

By Alki David

Alki David — Publisher, Media Architect, SIN Network Creator - live, direct-to-public communication, media infrastructure, accountability journalism, and independent distribution. Born in Lagos, Nigeria; educated in the United Kingdom and Switzerland; attended the Royal College of Art. Early internet broadcaster — participated in real-time public coverage during the 1997 Mars landing era using experimental online transmission from Beverly Hills. Founder of FilmOn, one of the earliest global internet television networks offering live and on-demand broadcasting outside legacy gatekeepers. Publisher of SHOCKYA — reporting since 2010 on systemic corruption inside the entertainment business and its expansion into law, finance, and regulation. Creator of the SIN Network (ShockYA Integrated Network), a federated media and civic-information infrastructure spanning investigative journalism, live TV, documentary, and court-record reporting. Lived and worked for over 40 years inside global media hubs including Malibu, Beverly Hills, London, Hong Kong and Gstaad. Early encounter with Julian Assange during the first Hologram USA operations proved a formative turning point — exposing the realities of lawfare, information suppression, and concentrated media power. Principal complainant and driving force behind what court filings describe as the largest consolidated media–legal accountability action on record, now before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. Relocated to Antigua & Barbuda and entered sustained legal, civic, and informational confrontation over media power, safeguarding, and accountability at Commonwealth scale.